District seeks change to water‑rights terms as springs run low; spring rehab discussed

District staff reported progress on a water‑rights change application and raised concerns about the condition of a Forest Service spring that feeds the system.

Staff said they filed with the state water‑rights office to change the district’s water‑rights paperwork so the district can aggregate the water from its three springs and remove a prior requirement to store in summer and release in winter. The first application did not include all rights (Kent’s Lake was omitted in an early draft), and staff said they returned the filing to ensure all rights are included. Staff asked the board to authorize the manager to sign the corrected application for the district.

Separately, staff and board members discussed the Forest Service spring that has reduced flow and is accruing silt and root intrusion. They described options similar to prior spring repairs: excavating the collection area, removing old pipe and rock, locating the active seep or collection point, and rebuilding the headworks. The board discussed access, required road work into the site and a plan for restoring the collection area; the Forest Service has agreed in principle to temporary road access for the work. Staff said the spring could take varying time to fail — from months to years — but voiced concern that a winter failure would leave the community without that source.

The board asked staff to continue pursuing the water‑rights change application and to return with cost estimates and plans for spring rehabilitation when available.